Azzi Fudd Ruled Out for Second Straight Game: What’s Next for Dallas?

 

In a critical point of the season for the Dallas Wings, Azzi Fudd has been ruled out for the second game in a row, another huge loss for the Wings ahead of their matchup with the Lynx.

Azzi Fudd's Journey to the WNBA

Fudd's Rise at UConn

Being the No. 1 pick in any draft brings a lot of attention and high expectations and for Azzi Fudd, although she's always captivated the attention of women's basketball fans since her time in college, she's had more eyes on her than ever. Coming off of a spectacular run at UConn, Fudd was considered a top prospect for the 2026 WNBA Draft for years. In five seasons at UConn, Fudd recorded 14.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. Not only are these stats impressive considering that she would truly only play two full seasons at good health, but Fudd also did so shooting 46.9% from the field, 42.2% from three, and 92.5% from the charity stripe in her career. These shooting splits not only prove her dominance throughout her collegiate career, but also the danger she will be in the pros. Matter of fact, Fudd has already inserted herself as one of the most elite shooters in the league, and we got a special taste of it at 2026 All-Star Weekend when she destroyed the competition at the Three-Point Contest where she became the fire rookie in WNBA history to win. Although Fudd's elite shooting ability and playstyle have not been enough to lift the Dallas Wings to be true title contenders yet, we know that she is a winner considering her success in leading UConn to a National Championship in 2025 and the Final Four in 2026 (as well as other March Madness runs with UConn, though she was one of the primary leaders in these two seasons).

A Look at Fudd's Rookie Campaign

Despite being the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, Azzi Fudd received a lot of hate. Because her former UConn teammate Paige Bueckers was the No. 1 pick a year prior (2025), many thought the Dallas Wings only selected Fudd to reunite the two. Although it is nice to see Fudd and Bueckers back in the same uniform again, it was made clear several times by Dallas Wings GM Curt Miller and even Paige Bueckers herself that Fudd was drafted by the Wings because of their genuine belief in her skills and how she can elevate the franchise. Even in the midst of these mixed emotions from WNBA fans, Azzi Fudd has been hooping this season. Averaging 13.1 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, Fudd is an all-around player that can contribute anywhere for Dallas. While Fudd had a slow start to the season as she adjusted and adapted to the physicality and fast pace of the WNBA, she eventually had two back-to-back 20-point games that allowed her to break a barrier in her rookie season. Following these two 20+-point games, Fudd has grown to be a consistent contributor for Dallas, fitting into her role seamlessly. Not to mention that Fudd is also one of the most consistent players for the Wings, shooting 45.6% from the field, 39.7% from three, and 82.6% from the free-throw line. In comparisons to that of her shooting splits in her college career, it's safe to say that Fudd not only has found her groove, but also her place as she has proved that she belongs in the league. While many consider Fudd to only be a deadly shooter, real ball knowers would consider her a "3-and-D" player. Among rookies, Fudd is ranked first in both steals per game (1.7) and total steals (52) and second in both blocks per game (0.8) and total blocks (25). Alongside this statistical success within her defense, Azzi Fudd also broke the WNBA record for most steals and blocks by a rookie in their first 20 games when she recorded 35 steals and 20 blocks in just her first 20 games as a pro. Not only does this 29-year-old record broken by Fudd along with her stats prove her ability to defend and to defend well, but also her well-roundedness and importance to the Wings' success on both ends.

The Wings' Recent Struggle to Find Their Rhythm

Dallas' Challenging Post-All-Star Stretch

Since the All-Star break, the Dallas Wings have really struggled to finish games strong. In four of their five games since the break, the Wings have taken hard losses that leave fans questioning what may have changed. That said, it is in these games that the Wings would be up by as much as 20 points, then blow the lead and take a difficult loss after collapsing in the fourth quarter. A glaring issue at the moment seems to be that the Dallas Wings play a respectable first half but flip the switch and lose momentum heading into the second half. Alongside these second half struggles, the Wings have also seemed to shift their trust in players like Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd. Prior to All-Star Weekend, Dallas primarily ran their offense through Bueckers and Fudd and by doing so, the two also thrived off setting up their teammates to contribute as well. Since the break, the Dallas Wings have been noticeably reliant on Arike Ogunbowale, one who can be an extremely streaky shooter and often characterized as one who constantly plays hero ball. While in these past few games Ogunbowale has had good stats with two 20+-point games, the rest of the team has struggled more than usual in several of the losses. Now, Ogunbowale surely isn't the entirety of the Wings' issues, and it would be remiss to put all the blame on her. Ultimately, it comes down to coach Jose Fernandez's decisions. Will the Dallas Wings make the necessary changes to find their footing and get back to playing their best basketball?

Dallas' Response to Fudd's Recent Absence

Two nights ago on August 7, 2026, the Dallas Wings faced off against the Golden State Valkyries. Coming into the matchup Azzi Fudd was expected to play and would even warm up prior to the game. However, it was during warmups that Fudd would find some discomfort and soreness in her right knee-- the knee that she had previously tore her ACL and meniscus during her time at UConn. For extreme caution, the Dallas Wings decided to sideline Fudd in their matchup with the Golden State Valkyries, a matchup where fans really saw how much Fudd impacts the team. When I say that fans noticed Fudd's impact dispute being sidelined, I mean that in that many fans noticed a great difference in Dallas' scoring and defense as they struggled to compete with the Valkyries. In this matchup with Golden State, Aziaha James would make her way into the starting lineup in hopes that she would bring a similar energy to Fudd. However, it seemed that the entire Dallas Wings roster had something missing. Paige Bueckers didn't have her elite shooter to swing the ball to by her side, Jessica Shepard didn't have her partner in crime on defense, and the Wings as a whole were missing a pivotal piece in their team with Fudd on the sideline. These struggles from the Dallas Wings were evident as they shot a team field-goal percentage of 34% and team three-point percentage of 28%. In the end, the Dallas Wings would fall to the Golden State Valkyries in a 76-94 loss.

Another Test Without Fudd

Just moments ago, the Dallas Wings ruled out Azzi Fudd for the second game in a row. As the Wings look to take on the Minnesota Lynx, this matchup was already going to be tough and will now be even tougher without Fudd. Not only will it be interesting to see who Jose Fernandez starts in Fudd's place, but also how they adapt to silencing the scoring of one of the most complete lineups in the league in Minnesota's Napheesa Collier, Olivia Miles, Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams, and Natasha Howard. Can the Dallas Wings adapt and can Paige Bueckers and co. make things work, or will this be another game that puts to light their flaws as they face the number one team in the league?